Alternative to Addiction Creating Centre implemented Community Based Peer Led Intervention (CPLI) project under National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) at Gwalior District of Madhya Pradesh with the support from NISD (National Institute of Social Defense), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Govt. of India, New Delhi

More about CPLI

According to various studies, the vulnerability created by poverty, social inequalities and other social factors in the society leads to the initiation of substance use by children at an early age. Poly-substance use (using more than one substance over a period of time) is common among adolescents

Children and adolescents living in the street, slums and homeless, become particularly vulnerable to substance abuse in such high risk circumstances. Relapse rate is also high in this group due to lack of family and community support compared to others.

While ensuring the active participation of young people, they can be empowered to disseminate information on substance abuse prevention. The assumption is that youth learn from each other, keeping this in mind, the initiative of Government of India, this campaign is being run by CPLI to make teenagers aware, mainly in this campaign 10-18 years adolescent children of

 Peers have more credibility among young people and they have a shared cultural background. For this purpose, peer-led intervention would be an appropriate strategy to reduce substance use among young people.

Through peer led intervention the aim is to reach children and early adolescents who are:         

o          Vulnerable non-users

o          Experimental users who have discontinued

Objectives

  • To assess substance use among adolescents in impoverished & marginalized communities
  • Conduct primary prevention activities through awareness programs
  • Engage in risk mitigation of substance use among children/ adolescent/youth by:
  • Preventing substance use
  • Delaying initiation of substance use
  • Identify and train selected peer educators in the community
  • Implement early prevention education led by trained peer educators
  • To provide awareness about referral and linkage to counseling, treatment and rehabilitation services for substance dependent adolescents identified in the community
  • Identifying adolescents subjected to substance abuse and facilitating their admission into Rehabilitation Centres/ ODICs /others.